Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from April, 2010
Russia: War Reporter Blogs on Trauma and Politics of the Subway Attacks
Olga Allenova is a special correspondent for the Kommersant daily, author of Chechnya is Close: War Through the Eyes of a Woman, a collection of the 1999-2007 war reportage from the North Caucasus. In the post below, she writes about the March 29 subway bombings, the subsequent pain and trauma, and the resulting political and media responses.
Russia: Reflections on the Subway Bombings and Politics
It's been a week since the March 29 Moscow subway bombings, which killed 40 people and left over 100 injured. Below is a sampling from an ongoing discussion by Russophone bloggers.
The Balkans: Similarities Between Facebook and Communist Party of Yugoslavia
Filip Stojanovski translates a list of of similarities between Facebook and the Communist Party of Yugoslavia (CPY).
Russia: April Fool's Online Pranks
Although the beginning of the week has been marked by the disaster and grief, Russian bloggers and computer geeks tried to leave some place in their lives for a smile. Below are few of the pranks proposed by bloggers and several software companies.
Russia: Subway Bombings Rap
LJ user abstract2001 posts audio and lyrics (RUS) of Dino MC 47's new rap song about the March 29 Moscow subway attacks. A YouTube video is here (via LJ user oleg-kozyrev).
Russia: Muscovites Use Blogs to Avoid Riding Metro
Podvezu_msk Livejournal community, which opened after the recent bombings in Moscow, is used by drivers-bloggers to offer a ride to those who don't want to use a subway. It also developed a special sign for cars with drivers willing to help for free. RIA Novosty tells a story of new...
Russia: Mainstream and Citizen Media Coverage
Lengthy discussions of the mainstream and citizen media coverage of the March 29 Moscow subway attacks: Minding Russia – here and here, FPA's Russia blog – here and here, and Global Voices Online – here.
Russia: Anglophone Commentary on Subway Attacks
More Anglophone discussions of the March 29 Moscow subway bombings, the politics around it and the commentary it has generated: Sean's Russia Blog – here and here; FPA's Russia blog; A Good Treaty – here and here; Dzutsev's Weblog; DI's Russia Blog; A Step At A Time – here, here...
Russia: “Moscow Calm – Before the Storm”
At GlobalPost, Miriam Elder reports from Moscow on the March 29 subway attacks: “It's this lack of information that helps breed the conspiracy theories that are so rife. In the U.S., we're used to nonstop programming when the slightest (or largest) thing goes wrong. Here, state-run television ran its regular...
Russia: “Technology Failed Many”
Svetlana Gladkova of Profy writes about her failed attempts to locate a Moscow friend via various popular communication tools following the March 29 subway attacks: “In this tightly interconnected world we all depend a lot on communication tools like cell phones, email, IMs, and social networks and when such tools...
Russia: “A Perfect Target”
Irina Filatova writes at the Guardian's Comment is Free that the tough measures and increased xenophobia that are likely to follow the March 29 Moscow subway bombings will not “make Moscow underground safer.”
Russia: “March Elegy”
Anna Akhmatova's poem and some memories of the Moscow subway and the Park Kultury station where the second of the two March 29 blasts occurred – at Poemless: “In the Metro, you could buy a puppy and take the puppy to the vet, have its prescriptions filled, buy some lingerie...
Russia: “Russian Roulette” Metro
English Man In Moscow reacts to the March 29 subway blasts: “For the love of god, is no where safe from terrorists? Today, many people were killed. I certainly won't be taking my child on the metro anywhere, ever again for the rest of my time here in Moscow.”
Russia: “A Metaphor for Shock”
Natalia Antonova, currently in Moscow, writes about the March 29 subway blasts at GlobalComment: “On days like today, tragedy does not remain localized. It spreads outward, from the epicenter. Beside the dead, there are the wounded. Beside the dead and the wounded, there are the traumatized. And then there are...
Russia: LJ Opinion Poll on Subway Blasts
520 bloggers responded to this LiveJournal opinion poll question (RUS) on March 29-31: “Who could be behind the Moscow subway blasts?” 11% blame “terrorists acting on orders from Western special services,” 16% point at “terrorists acting on religious grounds,” 33% think “Russian special services” are behind the attacks, and 40%...
About our Eastern & Central Europe coverage
Filip Stojanovski is the Central Europe editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.
Daria Dergacheva is the Eastern Europe editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.
